Press Releases

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Today, Florida TaxWatch (FTW) released its latest report, The Suncoast Connector: What We Still Need to Know examining the Suncoast Connector, one of three toll roads commissioned through the Multi-Use Corridors of Regional Economic Significance (M-CORES) program which was established through legislation passed and signed into law in 2019 (SB 7068). The report seeks to identify the potential costs and long-term financial challenges of constructing the Suncoast Connector portion of the M-CORES program.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Today, Florida TaxWatch (FTW) President and CEO Dominic M. Calabro released the following statement upon Gov. Ron DeSantis announcing his budget vetoes for the FY2020-21 budget totaling more than $1 billion.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Today, Florida TaxWatch (FTW) released its latest report, BRINGING FLORIDA’S BUDGET BACK FROM COVID-19 A Roadmap for a Responsible Recovery, outlining major budget and policy recommendations and options to reduce state spending and maximize existing revenue sources as Florida fights to recover from the significant fiscal impacts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The recommendations put forward today by FTW can conservatively produce a combined nearly $6 billion in annual positive impact on the budget and include proposed legislative actions for both short-term (FY 2020-21) and long-term consideration by Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida Legislature.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Today, Florida TaxWatch (FTW) released its review of the Broward County School District’s SMART Program in its report Monitoring and Oversight of General Obligation Bonds to Improve Broward County Schools: SMART Program Quarterly Report Review for the Quarter Ended March 31, 2020. The report includes three recommendations which will be presented and discussed by FTW Vice President of Research Bob Nave at the Broward County Bond Oversight Committee’s (BOC) Monday, June 15, 2020 meeting, beginning at 5:30 p.m. The meeting may be viewed online here.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Today, Florida TaxWatch (FTW) released the 2020 Budget Turkey Watch Report: An analysis of the transparency and accountability of the budget process, its annual independent review of the state’s budget. The report, which has been released annually since 1986, promotes additional oversight and integrity in Florida’s budgeting process and is based on the principle that because money appropriated by the legislature belongs to the taxpayers of Florida, the process must be transparent and accountable, and every appropriation should receive proper deliberation and public debate. This year’s Budget Turkey Watch Report also highlights the particularly important need to scrutinize the entire budget, in the context of the uncertain fiscal environment created by COVID-19.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Today, Florida TaxWatch (FTW) President and CEO Dominic M. Calabro released the following statement urging Florida families to take the opportunity to stock up on essential items and get prepared for the upcoming hurricane season during the 2020 Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday which begins Friday, May 29 and runs until Thursday, June 4.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Today, after a report from the Office of Economic and Demographic Research (EDR) showed Florida revenue collections for the month of April were down $878 million below estimates, and down more than $675 million year-to-date, Florida TaxWatch (FTW) President and CEO Dominic M. Calabro released the following statement urging the Florida Legislature to take action to properly collect lawfully owed sales and use taxes on internet sales (E-Fairness) and re-establish a gaming compact with the Seminole Tribe.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Today, Florida TaxWatch (FTW) released its latest briefing, Telehealth in Florida: Where We Are and What is Next analyzing the challenges and obstacles currently facing telehealth systems, healthcare providers, and patients as Florida moves through the novel coronavirus pandemic and looks to the future of care in the state. The FTW analysis identified broadband internet access, digital readiness, and reimbursement and regulatory discrepancies as the main challenges needing to be addressed through a collaborative approach by local, state, and federal government agencies, healthcare organizations, and patients to ensure a robust telehealth system capable of serving millions of Floridians.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Today, Florida TaxWatch (FTW) released its analysis of COVID-19’s potential impact on 2020 Taxpayer Independence Day. FTW traditionally releases its Taxpayer Independence Day report every April, recognizing the day that the year-to-date income of Floridians finally surpasses their total annual tax burden, with the assumption that every dollar earned prior to that date goes toward paying that year’s local, state, and federal tax obligations, and every dollar earned for the remainder of the year stays in the pockets of the earner.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Today, Florida TaxWatch (FTW) released its latest report, BRIDG: Growing Florida’s Advanced Manufacturing Sector, analyzing the impact of advanced manufacturing in the Sunshine State and highlighting the importance of continued public investment in high-tech initiatives such as BRIDG, which diversify the economy, create jobs, boost wages, and increase local and state tax revenues.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – An analysis completed by Florida TaxWatch (FTW) has shown that the “Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act” (H.R. 748), which today passed the U.S. House of Representatives and is set for President Donald Trump’s approval, will provide more than $8 billion in federal aid to Florida, including up to $3.7 billion for local governments, as the state responds to the devastating economic impacts of COVID-19.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Today, Florida TaxWatch (FTW) released its 2020 Florida Legislative Session Wrap-Up and highlighted the passage of 11 legislative priorities supported by FTW during the recent session. Throughout the 2020 Legislative Session, lawmakers in the Florida House of Representatives and Florida Senate came together to pass 210 bills, including the General Appropriations Act (HB 5001), setting the state budget at a record $93.2 billion. Last week, FTW issued a statement urging the Florida Legislature to cut spending on member projects to bolster the state’s ability to respond to the Coronavirus pandemic.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Today, Florida TaxWatch (FTW) President and CEO Dominic M. Calabro released the following statement following reports that the Florida Legislature is considering cutting allocations meant to increase teacher pay, boost environmental investments, and fund other critical issues in order to pay for the state’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Jacksonville, Fla. – On Thursday, March 5, Florida TaxWatch (FTW) will honor Wayman Academy of the Arts principal Simaran Bakshi with the 2019-20 Principal Leadership Award. Florida TaxWatch established the Principal Leadership Awards program in 2014 to identify Florida’s most effective principals in high-risk K-12 public schools, recognize and reward their work, and promote their transformational practices throughout the state. Principal Bakshi is one of nine elementary, middle, and high school principals to be honored with the award this year.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Today, Florida TaxWatch (FTW) released its latest briefing, HB 7087 — Proposed Merger of SUS Institutions warning against a legislative proposal in the Florida House of Representatives to merge Florida Polytechnic University and New College of Florida with the University of Florida.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Today, Florida TaxWatch (FTW) released its latest report, An Independent Assessment of the Impact of Broward College. The report looks at the comparative benefits to students who attend Broward College, how Broward College compares to other institutions of higher learning in the tri-county South Florida region, and Broward College’s economic impact and return on investment to its students and the community.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Today, Florida TaxWatch (FTW) released its latest briefing, Diverting Tourist Development Tax Revenue: Florida Shouldn’t “Eat Our Seed Corn” by Diverting Tourist Development Tax Revenue warning against continued expansion by the Florida Legislature of authorized uses for locally imposed tourist development taxes (TDT).

Panama City, Fla. – Today, Florida TaxWatch (FTW) along with leaders from Panama City and Bay County highlighted the need for community participation in the 2020 Census. As the third largest and fourth fastest growing state in the country, the upcoming Federal Census count will be more important to the Sunshine State than nearly any other state. Federal grant programs distribute $700 billion using census data. If Florida is under-represented by the count, it could cost the state millions, or even billions, of dollars. Florida’s state and local officials need to immediately start ensuring the accuracy of the count by participating in existing intergovernmental processes to verify addresses and residences.